THE NEXT PRIORITY

Stunning or incapacitating the assailant is your next priority. This must be done while safely evading his blade. Whenever pos- sible, these stunning/incapacitating actions should be accom- plished with a kick. The reason for this strategy is that the impact from a kick is about three times stronger than a blow delivered by the hands and that kicking an advancing opponent leaves your hands free to intercept any attack that he might still initiate.

You don’t have to kick like a tae kwon do practitioner; you only need an arsenal of three interception kicks (described below.) But the kicks must be mastered. Your physical response to the attack must be delivered in a hard and fast manner. On this there can be no compromise. The attacker must be dealt with soundly and quickly, for once you have demonstrated defi- ance to his intent, he will not provide you with a second chance.

Interception Kicks

Interception kicks are used to upset the attacker’s balance and, under ideal conditions, cause him to stumble or actually fall. If an interception kick is successful in accomplishing any of these results, you must immediately capitalize on this by either escap- ing from the situation or neutralizing the attacker. As their name indicates, these kicks are used to intercept the attacker’s move- ment or advance; they are not primarily intended as incapacitat- ing attacks. To be effective, interception kicks must be aimed at the opponent’s lead leg, delivered low and quick, and used in conjunction with body shifting. Three of the quickest, strongest, and most effective interception kicks are the right sickle kick, the right side stomp kick, and the left cross stomp kick. In the description of the three interception kicks, we will assume that the navajero is leading with his right leg as he faces his knife- wielding adversary.

The Sickle Kick

As the opponent attacks with a straight knife thrust to your midsection, step outward to the left as you evade the attack. Simultaneously deliver a very low hooking kick with your right instep to the inside of his right ankle. Hit him very low, very hard, and very fast. Be alert to any follow-up attack from the opponent and remain mentally poised to contend with it. If the kick successfully injures him, follow up with other low kicks and hand attacks, as may be appropriate.

A MANO LIMPIA

The right sickle kick. Against a thrust to the chest, evade the attack and deliver a sickle kick to the lead ankle.

The Side Stomp Kick

As the opponent attacks with a knife slash to your midsec- tion, step outward to the left as you evade the attack. Simultaneously deliver a side thrust kick with your right heel to the outside of his right knee joint. Again, hit him very hard and very fast. Be alert to any follow-up attack from the opponent and remain mentally poised to contend with it. If the kick success- fully injures him, follow up with other low kicks and hand attacks, as may be appropriate.

The right side stomp kick. Against a slash to the midsection, evade the attack and deliver a side stomp kick to the outside of the lead knee.

The Left Cross Stomp Kick

As the opponent attacks with a knife slash to your midsec- tion, step away to the right to evade the attack. Simultaneously deliver a front thrust kick with your left heel to the front or inside of his right knee joint. Always hit him very hard and very fast. Be alert to any follow-up attack from the opponent and remain mentally poised to contend with it. If the kick success- fully injures him, follow up with other low kicks and hand attacks as may be appropriate.

A MANO LIMPIA

The left cross stomp kick. Against a slash to the midsection, evade the attack and deliver a cross stomp kick to the lead knee.

The reader should feel free to experiment and develop his own personal interception kicks. Remember that interception kicks must be:

• aimed at the opponent’s lead leg

• delivered low, hard, and fast

• performed in conjunction with body shifting

In other words, do not just stand there and kick: move and kick. YOUR BODY AS A WEAPON

One of the few times in combat when strength provides an unconditional advantage, as opposed to the many situations where its benefit is only relative, is in defending against an armed opponent. Here, the attribute of strength is decidedly beneficial in two particular areas of combat: gripping and striking. If you are able to secure a grip on the opponent’s knife hand or wrist, do not release it until either he drops the knife or you drop him. Recognize that even if you secure a viselike grip on his knife hand, you will still have to prevent his desperate attempts to retrieve the weapon with his free hand. You must also be ready to withstand whatever blows he may direct at you with his free hand or feet, realizing that these will be far easier to sustain than a lethal attack from his blade.

Since, at this point, your hand’s sole preoccupation is to keep a grip on the wrist of his knife-wielding hand, other parts of your body must become your anatomical weapons. You must train to make them versatile and deadly at close quarters. Typically undramatic techniques such as head butts, knee strikes, and foot stomps must all be capable of inflicting devastating damage to the opponent. While grappling is currently in vogue and unde- niably has its merits in total combat, its suitability against a skilled knife-wielder is questionable. Your goal, after all, is not to pin him or make him tap out; your goal is to neutralize him and walk away as unscathed as possible. (The best Brazilian jujutsu

opponent would find it impossible to grapple, tackle, or choke a Sevillian navajero, particularly with the amount of blood that would be flowing out of the grappler’s severed hand tendons.)